Is Voeckler an unpopular rider?
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TV Tommy.
Nobody likes a show off.
If he stopped gurning for the cameras I'd tolerate him.0 -
Have a read of this
viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=12839028
In short, some people love him, some people don't. His peers in the peloton don't really like him.Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
Ah, that helps a lot!0
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I made a point. Your rebuttal wasn't good enough. Try again.0
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So maybe he's a bit like Alex Higgins, a Peoples' Favourite, but not so regarded by his peers.0
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Luckao wrote:I made a point. Your rebuttal wasn't good enough. Try again.
@. Take today, for instance, in the post race interview, he was practically drawing comparisons between himself and Eddie Merckx. Don't get me wrong, his performance today was spectacular and brilliant - but the performance speaks for itself, he doesn't need to go pulling faces and mentioning the deeds of the best riders in history in the same breath as those of himself.
Like him, don't like him. I don't care.0 -
Le Commentateur wrote:So maybe he's a bit like Alex Higgins, a Peoples' Favourite, but not so regarded by his peers.
"Nine out of ten riders", according to Tommy. It's no great surprise. His spontaneity isn't compatible with the rigid mentality of many of them.
His expressions are amusing. If somebody was new to the sport and watching him and Sorensen contorting their faces all the way to the finish, they'd think constipation was endemic in the peloton.
For better or worse, any sport needs participants who do something to instigate debate. Long may he divide opinion.0 -
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Dan Lloyd said on the Eurosport post stage show today that it was media thing, and he (TV) was OK in the peloton.0
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I'm really confused over TV, last year I was willing him on to do well, this year I wouldn't have been dissapointed if he fell flat on his face.
My impression this year is that he's fine as long as everything is going his way, like a spoilt child. When others don't do what he wants he waves his arms and gesticulates at them in his typical frantic fashion. I also saw him [in early stages when things weren't going well] lash out at supporters who went to pat him on the back, this was after race had finished. These are the same fans who he was raising his arms to and encouraging applause from when winning stages.
Saying that he's great to watch whether it's to support him or love to hate him scenario. He certainly makes it more interesting.
He's certainly the nearest thing to Marmite on the cycling scene.
PS. My wife is French and her family say the French love him as he comes up with results, basically they'll love any Frenchman who does that.0 -
he's annoying to watch, his facial expressions are silly and feigned a lot of the time. I felt the urge to boo him when being subjected to that constant silly mix of tongue, teeth gritting, twitching of cheeks..very irritating face of an actor who loves the camera far too much for my liking. Also, he was so obsessed with playing the tragic hero in front of the cameras last year on climb where Bert and Andy had attacked, that he clearly forgot to anaylse the fact that the Evans group was behind and would have caught him well before the top, saved him energy, and saved him for Alpe D'huez and 3rd place on the final GC podium. Tommy wanted to show off to the camera and got what he deserved!0
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I understand that some folks don't like him but hey, what a ride yesterday, the lad showed great character and ability so chapeau to him and lets hope he continues to delight the fans with such displays.'I started with nothing and still have most of it left.'0
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Considering the rider Voeckler has proven himself to be, I don't see why people should be getting so offended by his tongue. So what if he gurns etc, yeah a lit of it may be play acting, whether for the cameras or tactically, but I think if i was climbing the Tourmalet i'd be gurning a hell of a lot more. He's an old school out and out attacking rider. Much prefer to watch somebody with his credentials than suffer endless hours of Mick Rogers and Richie porte pacing Wiggins up a climb. Jesus, its just a tongue!0
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A gurning Frenchman on a bike in and in Polka Dots; incroyable!!
Jerry“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”- Albert Einstein
"You can't ride the Tour de France on mineral water."
-Jacques Anquetil0 -
He's an out and out attacking rider apart from when he's glass cranking to minimise effort because he's not going to win the stage. It's a strange definition of attacking that involves deliberately losing huge chunks of time by not trying, so that he might be able to get into a break later in the race.LeicesterLad wrote:Considering the rider Voeckler has proven himself to be, I don't see why people should be getting so offended by his tongue. So what if he gurns etc, yeah a lit of it may be play acting, whether for the cameras or tactically, but I think if i was climbing the Tourmalet i'd be gurning a hell of a lot more. He's an old school out and out attacking rider. Much prefer to watch somebody with his credentials than suffer endless hours of Mick Rogers and Richie porte pacing Wiggins up a climb. Jesus, its just a tongue!
Watching the Sky team doing a TTT up each climb might not be particularly interesting, but they actually have something to race for and to protect, and one bad day would be the end of their ambitions. TV Tommy can have as many bad days as he likes, because it just makes it more likely that he'll be allowed to get away in yet another death-or-glory break. He showed last year that he can ride with the big boys if he wants, but he'd rather take the easy option.
I'm playing devil's advocate to a certain extent - I developed more respect for him last year when he was riding to protect yellow (even though he blew it by stranding himself in no man's land), but he can ride and attack without consequences because he makes sure he's not a threat. If France want to actually do well in the Tour, rather than winning the odd stage here and there, the Cult of Tommy is the first thing they need to get over.N00b commuter with delusions of competence
FCN 11 - If you scalp me, do I not bleed?0 -
Spiny_Norman wrote:He's an out and out attacking rider apart from when he's glass cranking to minimise effort because he's not going to win the stage. It's a strange definition of attacking that involves deliberately losing huge chunks of time by not trying, so that he might be able to get into a break later in the race.
I just see it that he's making opportunities to attack - a sensible way to build a career. Sure, he's no Merckx, attacking even when he's got the GC sewn up. But he'll never have the GC sewn up - so why not be realistic and make sure you won't be controlled by the big teams as a 'threat' in a classification you'll never win?
Nico Roche is always criticised for aiming at a Top 20 finish, and is told to go for stage wins. That's exactly what Voeckler does - and I know which rider I'd rather watch, and which one has the better palmares.0 -
I'm sure the commentary said yesterday that he eschews a radio earpiece and other such new-fangled gizmos. Going by some of the comments in Pro Race about how many modern riders use power meters etc and therefore make the races boring, I thought many would applaud this approach.LeicesterLad wrote:Considering the rider Voeckler has proven himself to be, I don't see why people should be getting so offended by his tongue. So what if he gurns etc, yeah a lit of it may be play acting, whether for the cameras or tactically, but I think if i was climbing the Tourmalet i'd be gurning a hell of a lot more. He's an old school out and out attacking rider. Much prefer to watch somebody with his credentials than suffer endless hours of Mick Rogers and Richie porte pacing Wiggins up a climb. Jesus, its just a tongue!Ecrasez l’infame0 -
Is it me or did nobody on here have a problem with Voeckler until commentators started saying certain riders did?
Is this just a desire to have some "insider" point of view?"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:Is it me or did nobody on here have a problem with Voeckler until commentators started saying certain riders did?
Is this just a desire to have some "insider" point of view?
Its you. I've always disliked him. Hell, a friend of mine even reckons you can tell someone knows nothing about cycling if they're a TV fan :PFckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.0 -
iainf72 wrote:disgruntledgoat wrote:Is it me or did nobody on here have a problem with Voeckler until commentators started saying certain riders did?
Is this just a desire to have some "insider" point of view?
Its you. I've always disliked him. Hell, a friend of mine even reckons you can tell someone knows nothing about cycling if they're a TV fan :P
I kinda like the balls he has.
He's obvious worked a little niche for himself and will work it at the expense of popularity in the peloton.
And as much as this disappoints you Iain, he was easily the strongest of the 38 who got away yesterday. He's pretty strong and, when he wants to be (like his first stage win this Tour), quite smart.0 -
iainf72 wrote:disgruntledgoat wrote:Is it me or did nobody on here have a problem with Voeckler until commentators started saying certain riders did?
Is this just a desire to have some "insider" point of view?
Its you. I've always disliked him. Hell, a friend of mine even reckons you can tell someone knows nothing about cycling if they're a TV fan :P
Well that last comment is obviously a load of tosh.
No need to have two threads on this. Can Mods merge?Contador is the Greatest0 -
Hoping I can say this without being called a "Tour poster" - I hang around here plenty, and have done for years, just rarely post. Pardon me if that invalidates my opinion.
Well, of course he's making opportunities to attack. But that attack, by definition, is only possible because he's deliberately haemorrhaged time all over the place and he doesn't threaten anyone. Deliberately losing time by going out like a gentle weekend spin isn't really attacking, however you rate GC finishes against stage wins.step-hent wrote:Spiny_Norman wrote:He's an out and out attacking rider apart from when he's glass cranking to minimise effort because he's not going to win the stage. It's a strange definition of attacking that involves deliberately losing huge chunks of time by not trying, so that he might be able to get into a break later in the race.
I just see it that he's making opportunities to attack - a sensible way to build a career. Sure, he's no Merckx, attacking even when he's got the GC sewn up. But he'll never have the GC sewn up - so why not be realistic and make sure you won't be controlled by the big teams as a 'threat' in a classification you'll never win?
Nico Roche is always criticised for aiming at a Top 20 finish, and is told to go for stage wins. That's exactly what Voeckler does - and I know which rider I'd rather watch, and which one has the better palmares.
But my point's slightly different - having lost that time, he can rest in the autobus if he doesn't feel up to it, or he can go off any time he feels good, giving it a go, in a no-lose situation. If it doesn't come off, he tried, but if he wins, he's a hero. Brave Tommy V, why can't more riders be like him? But Nico Roche, for all the criticism he gets, has to push every day to stay in touch or (to be realistic) limit his losses.
Maybe a top-20 placing on GC isn't much of an aspiration, but if he's AG2R's GC guy, that's a realistic aspiration, and it would still put him ahead of a fair number of other teams. But unlike Voeckler, Roche can't just spend a few days bimbling around if he doesn't feel up to it. Every second counts, and I expect he's turning himself inside out every day trying to stick with the leaders.
Personal opinion, but whatever the end result, I rate that effort at least as highly as a breakaway specialist who can quietly disappear if he's having a bad day.N00b commuter with delusions of competence
FCN 11 - If you scalp me, do I not bleed?0 -
iainf72 wrote:disgruntledgoat wrote:Is it me or did nobody on here have a problem with Voeckler until commentators started saying certain riders did?
Is this just a desire to have some "insider" point of view?
Its you. I've always disliked him. Hell, a friend of mine even reckons you can tell someone knows nothing about cycling if they're a TV fan :P
I'll give you a pass Iain, as you consistently hate everybody."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
FYI, Voeckler has had yellow on his shoulders more than once. That is more than most of the top 20.
He was also 4th last year, more than most of the top 20.
He just prefers to get stages and attack rather than place top 20. As I have said - it is greatly beneficial for his pocket (and for fans).
If you look back over the years, you don't remember the guys who didn't attack and just plodded round, following wheels quietly.Contador is the Greatest0 -
@SpinyNorman
Not disagreeing with you that Roche has to ride consistently to maintain a GC spot, and that that is hard work. But he never really risks anything - he works hard to stay in touch, and if he can, he does. He's not laying anything on the line in a bid for glory.
I'm not saying Voeckler is any braver or tougher than Roche, just more exciting to watch with, probably, a similar ability. Neither of them with win the GC - why not make it interesting and create a bit of theatre? If I was a sponsor, I know I'd want my money going on TV Tommy rather than someone who consistently places top 20.
But hey, if everyone rode like Voeckler it would get tedious.0
